Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics - the UC Davis Philosophy Department

• The extremes are:
– What is good, without regard to the individual,
– What is bad without regard to the individual.
• Acting lawfully and fairly promotes the mean, which is what is good for the
agent.
– Wealth is unconditionally good, but it is not good for me if I gain it by theft.
• Correctly established law will promote other virtues, so justice is the supreme
virtue.
• Justice is also complete because, unlike the other virtues, it is directed toward
other people.
Virtues of Thought
• Having completed his discussion of the virtues of character, Aristotle turns to the
virtues of thought.
• There are two virtues of thought:
– Prudence (rationally acquired true beliefs concerning contingent facts about
what is good for us),
– Wisdom (theoretical knowledge of necessary truths).
• It may seem that prudence and wisdom are of no use to one who is already clever.
• But the two virtues are productive:
– Prudence elevates the natural virtue of cleverness to “full virtue,” by directing
it to the good.
– Wisdom produces happiness.
• Socrates was correct in saying that all virtues require prudence, but wrong in
saying they are all instances of prudence.
A Life of Study or a Life of Action?
• A life of study is superior to a life of action.
• The reason for the superiority of study is that study is an end in itself, while
action is aimed at a further end.
• Study is also the most characteristically human function, one not shared with
animals.
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